Automatic metal-feed for continuous casting-machines.



- v G. MELLEN. KUTOMKUC METAL FEED FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING MACHIN.ES..

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 2, i915, 1,139,888.. I Patented May18,1915.

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G. MELLEN.

AUTOMAIIC METAL FEED FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING MACHINES.

' APPLICATIO N FILED FEB. 2,, 19,145. 1,139,888. Patented May 18, 1915. s SHETS-S}HEE1 2.

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AUTOMATIC METAL FEED FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING MACHINES.

Patented May18, 1915.

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APPLICATION rim) FEB. 2, 1915.

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. GRENVILLE MELLEN, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR TO CONTINUOUS CASTING CORPORATION, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF VIR- GINIA.

AUTOMATIC METAL-FEED FOR CONTINUOUS CASTINGEMACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented MaylS 1915.

Application filed February 2, 1915. Serial No. 5,772.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GRENVILLE MELLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Llewellyn Park, West Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Metal-Feeds for Continuous Casting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an automatic metal feed for continuous casting machines, and is particularly designed to deliver molten metal to a machine in which the molding cavity is upright or in a substantially vertical position.

The particular form of casting machine to which-my invention is applied, is shown in my prior application Serial No. 748,251, filed February 13, 1913, although it is capable of use with other types of machines, whether the molds-be movable or stationary; and is further adapted for use in other relations where the level of molten metal is to be maintained.

In the machine of my prior application,

the mold proper is formed by two endless 7 imperfect rod is formed.

My invention provides means for automatically maintaining the level of the liq-' uid in the mold cavity or other container at a substantially fixed point, or within given limits, and further provides means for informing the operator as to variations in such level.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a more or less.- diagrammatic view showing some of the parts in section; Fig. 2 is a vertical section, on a large'r scale, of the metal pot, and the delivery tube; Fi 3 is a cross-section on plane IIIIII of ig. 2; Fig. 4 is a cross-section of a modified form of delivery tube; Fig.5 is a diagram of a modification; Fig. 6 is a diagram of still another modification; Fig. 7 is 'a diagrammatic showing of a modification; and Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic showing of another modification.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a receptacle for molten metal having a tap-hole in its bottom, which is opened and closed by a valve 2, preferably made of carbon, and having a tapered end. The tap-hole is formed in a hollow plug 3, preferably of graphite, fitted into the bottom of pot 1. The plug 3 has at its bottom a socket or recess to receive the head 4, which may be a single piece of graphite.

5 is a tube, also preferably of carbon and having a bore 6 for passage of, molten material, and a second bore 7, having a slot opening at its upper end, into which is inserted a silica tube 27, through which extends the wire 8, the terminal portion 8' of the wire extending downward beneath the tube.

28 is a metal sleeve surrounding and supporting, by means of the shoulders shown, the tube 5 and head 4.

The mold cavityis formed between two endless chains of mold blocks A, B, supported by sprocket-wheels C, D, which are driven by any suitable mechanism such as worms E, F, on shaft G of the variable speed motor provided with a suitable speedchanging controller I. The mold chains pass over suitably mounted sprockets K, L at the lower portion of the machine.

The valve 2 is carried by a rod 9 pivoted to one end of beam 10, mounted on a knifeedge fulcrum 11. 'The beam carries adjustable weights 12, and has its otherend pivoted to the core 13 of a solenoid 14.

18 is an adjustable stop carried by bracket 19. The solenoid circuit consists of wire 8, battery 15, wire 16, solenoid 14, and wire 17, which is connected to any suitable part of the frame of the machine so that it is in conductive connection with the molten metal ,mold high enough to make contact with the terminal 8', the circuit is closed, the core 13 is pulled up, and the valve2 is entirely or partially closed, according to the adjustment of the machine. As soon as the metal in the mold drops below the end of terminal 8, the circuit is broken and the weight 12 causes the valve 2 to rise and admit a further supply of molten metal. Instead of using a single wire, two suitably insulated Wires may be passed through the tube 7, as shown in Fig. 4, the ends of the wires protruding below the end of tube 5 to the same extent (see Fig. 5), the circuit being closed by the molten metal coming into contact with the ends of the wires.

Incase a graduated action of the valve 2 is desired, two solenoids 14, 14 may be used. In this case, two wires 8 and 20 (Fig. 6) are used, one extending below the other. When the metal rises in the mold high enough to make contact with the lower end of wire 20, the circuit is closed through wire (in metallic connection with the mold, as in Fig. 1) battery 15, wire 26, relay 30, wire 27 solenoid 14 and wire 20. The solenoid 14 ,thereuponacts to partly close the valve 2. I If the metal rises still further into contact with the end of wire 8, a second circuit including. the solenoid 14 is closed, where upon the valve 2 is still further moved to entirely shut oil the metal.

In case it is desired to afford an indication of the fall of metal in the mold below a fixed point, such as the end of wire 20,

a relay 30 may be connected in circuit with battery 15, as shown. When the connecmetal-supply, and the operator can controlthe casting conditions in accordance with such indications by manual control of the Valve 2 and the controller I.

In Fig. 7 is shown an automatic control device pneumatically, instead of electrically,

actuated. The connection piece 40, preferably of graphite, fitting into the opening in the bottom of the casting-pot, is provided with grooves 41, through WhlCll a gas, preferably non-oxidizing in character, is forced from pipe 42 into the casting-tube 43, the

gas escaping around the end of the tube,

as long as the end of the tube is not sealed by the molten metal in the mold cavity. Gas under pressureis delivered to the tube 42, by a pump P which forces air through a closed vessel 44 partly filled with alcoholor hydrocarbon liquid. Fran} the tank 44,

the gas passes through pipe 45, either into. pipe 42, or into cylinder 46, having a piston 47. The piston rod 48 is arranged to press upwardly against the end of the pivoted beam 10, when the piston rises. The beam is counterbalanced by an adjustable spring 49. In operation, if the metal rises toward the end of the casting tube, the flow of gas from the end of the tube is gradually d1- minished, and the pressure within the cylinder 46 gradually rises forcing the piston upward and thereby gradually lowering the valve 2 to diminish the flow of metal from ,the supply pot 1 until the predetermined normal conditions are reestablished.

In the modification shown in Fig. 8, the piston rod 48, as it rises, brings the contacts 50, 51 together and closes an electric circuit comprising battery 52 and solenoid 53, whose plunger 54, is connected to and operates the beam 10. The operation of this form of device will be readily understood without further description.

' While I have described several forms of apparatus in more or less .detail, my invention is not limited to details of construction, as those familiar with the art will readily understand that equivalent or modified constructions may be used to effect the same result.

I have referred to wires extending into the mold, by which I mean not merely metal wires, but also rods composed either in whole or in part of any suitable conducting materialsuch as carbon or graphite. Practice has shown that the terminals, in particular, are best made of carbon-or graphite.

My invention broadly'includes such and other variations or modifications.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a vertically arranged mold, of means for delivering metal thereinto and means controlled by variations of level of molten metal in the mold for determining the supply of metal thereto.

2. The combination with a vertically arranged mold, of means for delivering metal thereinto and means controlled by variations of level of molten metal in the mold for automatically controlling the supply of metal thereto.

3. The combination with a vertically arranged mold, of a metal receptacle, a tube extending therefrom into the mold, a valve controlling the fiow of metal into the tube, and means controlled by variations of level. of molten metal in the mold for automatically operating said valve.

4. The combination with a vertically arranged mold, of a metal receptacle, a tube extending therefrom into the mold, a'valve controlling the flow of metal into the tube,

and means controlled by variations of level of molten metal in the mold for automatically operating said valve, said means comwe I prising a wire extending into said mold and electromagnetic mechanism connected to said valve.

5. The combination of a metal receptacle, an opening therein, a valve, a mold, a delivery tube extending into the mold, a wire having its terminal near the end of the tube,

and electromagnetically operating means for actuating the valve included in circuit with said wire.

6. The combination of a metal receptacle,

an opening therein, a valve, a mold, a delivery tube extending into the mold, two wires having their terminals extending different distances from-the end of the tube, and two solenoids arranged to actuate said valve, each solenoid included in circuit with one of said wires.

7 The-combination with a vertically arranged mold of a circuit terminal extending into the upper portion thereof, said terminal included in a-circuit containing a relay and a signal operated by said relay when the circuit is broken.

8. A delivery tube for casting machines having therein a passageway for molten metal and a bore open at the bottom, an insulating tube extending through said bore, and a wire extending through and beyond said insulating tube.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GRENVILLE MELLEN. Witnesses:

GEORGE W. SOHUMAN, Dona G. RONORTH. 

